Music to Your Ears

In Westchester County, there aren't that many musical instrument stores around the area. The two that come to mind are part of a chain that specializes in selling musical instruments and accessories; are Guitar Center and Sam Ash Music.

Sam Ash, is located on 178 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains and 45 other locations in 16 states.
It is the largest family-owned retailer; owned by the Ash family who started their own music store in Brooklyn in 1924. The chain is one of the oldest music stores in the country and has established an impressive reputation with staying power for over 80 years.

They sell a wide selection of every brand of musical instrument under the sun such as Gibson, Ibanez, Epiphone, Fender, Squier, BC Rich, Jackson, ESP, Paul Reed Smith, CF Martin & Co. and more.

Their prices on musical instruments are competitive and range anywhere from $349 up to around $2,000. Each store is equally committed to serving the needs of their customers with friendly sales help and technical expertise. They also offer events at the store such as guitar lessons and clinics for beginners or serious musicians in-store or on-line. They will buy used musical instruments depending on their condition.

The Guitar Center, is a newer chain than Sam Ash. Their only Westchester location is in Larchmont on 2141 Palmer Avenue. The first store opened in 1959 when Wayne Mitchell purchased a small appliance and home organ store in Hollywood, California. By 1961, the name was changed to The Organ Center. In 1964, Joe Banaran, President of the Thomas Organ Company; was looking for an outlets to sell Vox guitars and amplifiers.

By the late sixties, the name was re-christened The Guitar Center. Today, the chain has over 200 stores and is growing rapidly. They also sell the most famous brands such as Gibson, Yamaha, Epiphone, Shure, Fender, and more. They are not only a musical instrument store, but they sell a wide-variety of recording gear, DJ gear and accessories.

They also have events at the store (particularly their California store); such as special celebrity guests. Compared to Sam Ash, they offer their guaranteed lowest price and they are much lower. So the difference between the two music store chains boils down to the price and the selection. Both chains offer the convenience of ordering on-line which sometimes can be a significant savings over buying in the stores.

Both retail chains have their advantages. It's a matter of individual preference which one would be right for you.